Lilith's Daughter and the Guardian Serpent
by Ombrel
Summary: Given the opportunity to study abroad at Hogwarts, Ophelia, a sophomore from Salem Institute, was not prepared for the changes ahead when a vampire attacked her at the end of her Freshman year. Encourage to continue her studies even overseas, having to hide her 'alter' state from students has proven difficult as her guide finds how abnormal and magnetic the American student is.
1. Ch 1: We are not in Salem Anymore

**Good Evening Readers**. Here I have added the original insert for the story (before being told multiple times that it had to be a certain amount of characters). Credit to JK Rowling and her wonderful Wizarding World and the character Ophelia Giovanni is of my own creation. This story is based around the fifth year of the Hogwarts we know and love. Excuse the long winded moments - I am first and foremost a role-player and it is hard to step away from drowning details at first. Promise to try and not to but yeah. Please feel free to comment, even to just say you hate it, love it, or favoring it; this is my first story that I have decided to post and like to get some feedback (even if it is to bash it). Enjoy and any other notes will be located at the footer of the document.

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_Appointed to attend Hogwarts in a new study abroad program between magical schools, Ophelia, a sophomore from Salem Institute, was not prepared of the changes ahead when a vampire attacked her at the end of her freshman year at Salem. Encouraged to continue her study and even the study overseas, having to hide her 'alter' state from students, her mentor during her stay at Hogwarts will soon find out how 'abnormal' and yet supernaturally magnetic the visiting American student is._

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Nearly colliding into a group of muggle delinquents, Ophelia made it to the platform with a tilt to her head. She had never had to go through so many loops living in the same town as the school she attended but as a family bidding their children away emerged from the once empty location, it was enough to tell her that she was on the right path. Walking through without hesitation she felt the tingle of magic brush past her cool skin as the warm steam of bodies and living flesh in a close quarters sent her in a dead stop. So many noises and smells, voices and magic, her senses were in over drive and almost unbearable to endure.

Closing her eyes as she pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose, she started walking without fully opening her eyes before bumping into a tall well-dressed man that sneered as he turned to face her. Pale skin and near white blonde hair, Ophelia almost mistaken him for a vampire but saw the warmth and vitality coursing within. Eyes locked onto each other for a brief second and while the intention of the man was to correct the girl in her manners, he knew quite well, what she was. Apologizing just loud enough for the wizard to hear, she passed a very younger looking version of the man almost about to open his mouth in protest to her actions before the man stopped the act with a single grip to the shoulder, pulling the tension away from her.

With a sigh of relief, Ophelia had to get off the platform and in the train before her sense went insane from so much happening around her. Reaching the cart that she was instructed to approach, it only a matter of seconds to pass her ticket to the inspector and find herself in absolute silence as the door locked behind her. With her senses coming back to her, the shut door muffled the high whistle screaming last call for passengers.

Going to the only compartment door left open, she could hear others already settled within talking to other acquaintances as she walked in and shut the door behind her. Locking the door and pulling the shades to obtain ultimate privacy, the girl tossed her bag to one side as she lay down on her stomach to use her hood as a safety cover. As much as she could function within the light of the sun, it was irritating to her eyes and skin no matter what. Curling up in a ball as her hands went over her head, Ophelia slumbered off well before the train jerked to begin the trip to Hogwarts.

She had not dreamed since the month of her attack but Ophelia went into an astral state. Just because she was held up in the last cart on the train and shutting herself off didn't mean she could not feel like she was still her normal self. Gliding along, she heard excited conversations and gossip, squeals of excitement from the young children that would have been in charter schools if they attended the states. The further she traveled, the conversations of coming up classes and holiday chatter continued until she stopped at the front cart where the pale blonde boy sat silent within his compartment. Examining his companions, it was screamingly apparent that his attention was no to their chatter. As Ophelia's astral body stood only a feet away staring at the ice gray eyes that looked out to the darkening skies, she froze as something caught his attention and looked straight at her.

It would not have bothered her but, it really felt like he was looking directly in her eyes. Within seconds of his gaze looking into her, she was sent back to her slumbering shell that shot up from where it was into a fighting stance, wand at the ready. While breathing was a conscious effort, Ophelia breathed deep before sitting back down on the edge of her bench. Pulling the hair tie from her now sloppily held black bun, Ophelia ran her gloved fingers through her long hair before rolling it back up into a bun as a static voice struggled through the intercom.

"Your attention please. Ten minutes to destination. Passengers, please prepare to depart with immediate belongings for we will be at Hogsmeade Station in ten minutes. Thank you for your attention."

Standing up with a few cracks and pops from her extended hands, arms, back, and legs; the girl returned her hood to the top of her head while pulling the string to send the curtain separating her from the outside world up to see darkness and the destination. Leaning back as she looked to the glittering skies above, she closed her eyes and wondered if the boy really saw her. It was an odd sensation she had never experienced, but she could not dwell on the thought as her stomach growled in protest from the lack of nutrients.

As the train began to slow its pace, Ophelia slipped silently from her compartment with her bag back on her back as those her sounded like a herd of elephants getting restless in a cage meant for one. Taking position at the outer door, as the station platform came to vision; Ophelia did not wait to open the door at the complete stop. As the blast of moist cooling air pasted her still figure gripping her hood to stay on her head, she did not hear the door click as she departed as the train was still in motion. As instructed, the girl was in a brisk jog towards the well-worn carriages waiting for the elder students to join. Running her gloved fingers alongside the thestral flesh that stirred a little by her presence, as she jumped into the carriage, it was off speeding towards the castle leaving the other students unaware of what had happened.

Silently thinking as the carriage crawled closer to the school, it saddened Ophelia that she could not have interacted freely as like any of the students. She had imagined making new friends and learning about subjects only taught at Hogwarts but all she could think of was how she had to keep herself at a safe distance so she would not hurt someone. Her emotions began to pull at her mind to be depressed and angered but as the carriage came to a stop; she shook the emotions as a tall wizard in almost ancient and screamingly bright shimmering dress robes stood waiting for her. Dismounting from the carriage with another caress to the winged creature that seemed giddy with delight, the wizard approached with an arm stretched and a smile that matched the twinkle in the eyes that looked through half-moon spectacles.

"Miss Ophelia Giovanni, a pleasure to have you at Hogwarts", the elderly man said with a firm grip as she shook his hand with equal force.

"And as to you sir," she stated with a small smile as he placed an arm behind her shoulders, careful to not invading her personal space while still guiding her into the great double doors.

Pulling her hood back, she fell silent to the massive sides of the gothic structure. Walking into Hogwarts felt like she was walking into an Ivy League after coming from a public high school. While Salem had a diverse history, the structure of the building had been remodeled a few times to now reflect a modern design instead of the gothic structure like Hogwarts. While she did her best to drink up the sights, Ophelia did her best to keep at least her ears to the elderly man.

"I hope your travels were painless and I am sorry to have to keep this brief but, I think the first carriage and boat has arrived and I need to prepare for a few others to arrive. While I think you should not hide yourself in the shadows, I will assume you will do so while you wait for the end of the sorting ceremony. Do you know of our customs?" the man asked wondering of her knowledge.

"Yes sir, I studied of the school history and customs before traveling," she stated with a soft smile still on her pale lips.

"Wonderful!" the elderly wizard stated with a small chuckle, "I hope Professor McGonagall will also make herself present before she gathers the first years and during their introduction to the customs that are to come. Until then, Welcome again Ms. Giovanni; I know things have not been smooth since your incident, but I assure you that the staff here will work at making your stay pleasant. Come to me or the Head of House, whomever he or she may be, if there is a problem and see you under the sorting hat."

With a soft grip to her shoulder, the man was gone in a flash leaving Ophelia standing next to a pillar at the doors of the Great Hall. Taking a spot within the shadow, the girl leaned against the cool stone support and closed her eyes once again. She could feel her senses beginning to go into overdrive from the sudden rush of silence to chaotic energy creeping closer and she could not let her sense go haywire again from the abrupt change. Concentrating to become one with the shadow, Ophelia waited as if standing in a fog for when the time was right, she was to leave the safety of the shadow to present herself to this different world.


	2. Ch 2: The New Girl

While her time on the train was spent sleeping, with the herd of students rumbling towards the Great Hall, all reserved energy was being sucked away from the introvert. So many conversations, so much magic. Feeling sick to her stomach, Ophelia kneeled down to gather her thoughts and attempt to relax. Wishing she had at least asked where the restrooms were, there was nowhere to go but closer to the pillar she hid behind.

It took about ten minutes for the general populace of the school to make their way into the grand area and then another five minutes from the Headmaster's beginning speech before another cluster of students were presented. It was quite apparent by the silent conversations that the group being presented were first years about to be sorted. One by one she heard the yips, yelps, and cheers as each house received an even amount of students, making Hogwarts no different from Salem at that moment. Knowing quite well that now, there was no one left to enter, she moved from the shadows to peek through the cracked double doors to the elderly wizard speaking again to now fidgeting students wanting to eat.

"Settle down everyone. I have one more announcement to make before we stuff ourselves silly. I am delighted to tell you that we will be having another guest in among our halls." Within an instant, chatter began to rumble but a single swipe to his wand silenced the lot.

"This is not another school like the previous year, but a single student. This year, Hogwarts, as like many other magical schools, have adopted a study abroad program for witches and wizards. It is a unique program, letting children from around the world to experience education and customs not accustomed to their culture, and thus we are given one student. From Salem Institute of Magic from the United States to be exact." Once again, the noise increased in volume like the acid in her stomach, and again the man swiped the air resume silence.

"While this student will be sorted into a house, the individual is no first year and quite gifted, seeing she was the only student out of the whole school to participate in this starting program", whispers rolled across the floors, now filled with knowledge of the individual being a female. "And she is to be treated the year she would be associated with, as a sophomore in Salem, a fifth year here. While in a house, treat her like you would treat others for you are not only representing Hogwarts but your culture to her as well. Now, if you would all be so kind to give a warm welcome to Miss Ophelia Giovanni."

Standing up straight as the door snapped open, Ophelia was frozen in place as the students clapped to her presence. She did not like this attention at all. So many voices, sounds, whispers from their minds. Clutching her messenger bag strap than her stomach, she swallowed deeply and felt foolish having to walk in like this. Striding, she had not noticed that the rickety stool and hat was back next to the podium.

'_Oh Merlin and Morgana don't let this stool break under me_,' the girl thought as the clapping died down and the man smiling was accompanied by a very stern looking witch that could have been none other than Professor _McGonagall_.

"A pleasure Miss Giovanni, if would please take a seat," the woman stated as Ophelia obliged with a soft smile before pulling her hood back to fall on her shoulders.

Half sitting, half standing on the stool out of fear that it could break regardless of her small size, she was unsure of her pale skin was actually blushing to all the staring faces. Swallowing deeply as she sat straight up, the hat sat perched right above her brow line snug against her bun. Within the instant of the hat hovering over, she could feel the magic penetrating her aura and let it go through her mind and soul.

"_Ah yes, Ophelia Giovanni. A unique flower indeed. Was not expecting as unique as yours but still potential in all actions and events to come. Brilliant like a Ravenclaw, but oh so unique as a Hufflepuff. Brave, yes. You have been through a lot like our young Harry Potter in Gryffindor but still, you would do well as a Slytherin."_

The hat mulled over for nearly five minutes, making the small girl that could have been easily mistaken as a first year in height extremely uncomfortable. Becoming frustrated as her jaw began to clench out of anger, it finally screamed out.'

"SLYTHERIN!"

It was more of a sigh of relief to escape the confines of the stool than being assigned an actual house, the hat being pulled off her head tugging a single strand from her bun out of place. Ophelia shook hands with the Headmaster and Professor before being approached by another professor. Straightening her posture, she stood very still as the man in near black leaned into her with a soft voice, "Good Evening Miss Giovanni. I am Professor Snape, Slytherins Head of House, while formalities are needed, it can come at another time. I believe you have a letter for me," the man stated as the girl felt a light bulb in her head went off. She had forgotten about the letters she was supposed to give on arrival.

Quickly shifting her bag from her back to her side, in an instant her glove fingers held two letters. One labeled to the Head of House and the other, the Headmaster. Holding the letter to the Head of House to the man over her, she took a step back to slide the letter on the podium as the Headmaster finished his speech. As the letters left her fingers, the not so tall man did not touch her but essentially guided her to the slytherin table.

Glancing down the table, she could tell it was a brooding bunch. Mostly sour or poker blank faces, she heard the hiss of the Head of House call out to a single individual.

"Malfoy… you will be mentoring Miss Giovanni during her time here. Do so with care." And with that, the man was gone with an almost whoosh to his robes before taking his seat back at the staff table. Pulling her eyes back to the now empty spot where she was assuming to sit, it was a slap in the face to see the blonde boy standing also that she could only assume it was Malfoy. '_Oh sh…_'

There was an awkward stare but as the food suddenly appeared with a pop, the two looked again and held out each other's hand.

"Draco, Draco Malfoy, fifth year prefect", he finally stated as his cold eyes attempted to penetrate her own.

"Ophelia, but you should know that already", she replied back as she grasped not his hand but his wrist. The boy looked at her with an odd sense. It was rare case to perform a 'gentlemen's handshake' but Ophelia had to do it when it came to this boy. His demeanor was off like his shifting aura. Feeling his wand within his sleeve, the boy did the same to her before the tension was shot and the two sat down.

As many stuffed their faces and those in close quarters introduced themselves like the two chubby companions of Malfoy and the girl that was in front of him attempting to give Ophelia the evil eye with little effect, Ophelia had yet to touch any food when a loud pop echoed behind her. A small tug on her back sent her attention to a small elf, much too small to be holding the goblet in its grasp, for it began to fall backwards. Instantly grabbing the goblet than the elf, she pulled the container with much force, setting the elf back on its feet.

Ignoring the crying behind her and the sudden pop as like the eyes staring at her, Ophelia took a long drink from the cup that seemed to be bottomless. The cold iron liquid was almost sickening but she needed it. Nothing tasted worse than a cold meal in a copper cup. Licking her lips, the girl looked up to see the two ice cold eyes looking at her with interest but diverted to the conversation of Pansy screaming for his attention. It was at that instance she notice, she heard nothing that went in his mind. Not a single thought or idea. Quickly diverting her own gaze as Draco caught her looking at him, she occupied her time during the feast with eating and indulging another boy of dark skin named Blaise decided to begin nitpicking her American life.

Completely stuff and unable to partake in the deserts, the girl was half listening to the events around her as soon the herd of elephants became restless again and wanting to go to sleep. Standing with the rest of the students, she followed suit, getting information on locations, places, passwords, and the lot in passing from Malfoy barking out orders to the new students than informing them. She did not need to write the information down but nodded where appropriate as the cluster of snakes made it to the common room within the dungeons.

It really reminded her of home as she made it to the stone common room dashed in green. With a small smile over her lips that being homesick was not going to be too much of an issue, once again Professor Snape arrived as suddenly as he did during the feast with a note of his own. Before she could say a single word, he was gone leaving her standing against one of the bare walls not occupied by a portrait.

_Good evening again Miss Giovanni,_

_As it was informed by the Headmaster and your note, the staff have been given notice on your 'condition'. _

_To accommodate with your condition, you will be given nutrients as like you experienced today, as well as transfusion, if need be, by the Matron in the hospital wing. In the event that is not enough, it can be arranged during late evening to early morning hours access to the forbidden forest, but that is to be fully accepted and discussed later. While I do not think I should need to remind you, __it is forbidden__ that you feed on anyone. You will be closely monitored and in the event of becoming a threat, you will be sent to the Ministry of Magic for detaining._

_My statement still stand that your mentor here is Draco Malfoy. While it might seem odd for not choosing the female prefect of your associating year Pansy Parkinson, or another student, others in his year are not as educated or composed as he is and I trust him completely in this matter. Still, it is on you to keep your condition to yourself._

_Attached to this is your class schedule, map of the school, and the location of your room (due to the odd number, you will have a room of your own). _

_If you have any questions, ask Draco, myself, or the Headmaster. _

_Professor Severus Snape_

Tucking the letter within her leather pockets, the girl looked up to see a near empty common room. Off in one of the corners sat Draco with his two chubby companions Crabbe and Goyle, Pansy still attempting the evil eye of discontent, and Blaise all in a conversation. Once again, the conversation must not have been entertaining for Draco was staring off into space. Ophelia could tell Draco infatuated Pansy and just not wanting to converse or punch someone in the face, Ophelia slide into the shadows to her dorm without a single soul noticing her departure.

Reaching the final door down the girls dorm hall, she was pleased to see a nice set up of an inviting bed plainly dressed and her awaiting trunks and an open cage housing her pet albino raven Ghost. Setting a piece of raw meat for the slumbering bird, the girl did not even make it to kicking off her boots and taking off her bag until she was in a dead, sleepless slumber. Merlin and Morgana knew she was going to need her rest for the week ahead.

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**Good evening again fellow readers.** Was not expecting to dish out another chapter but just could not stop myself. Wanted to give notice that though this is during the fifth year, I will try my hardest to keep events as close to the books (but add my own taste like a Masquerade Ball). thanks for reading.


	3. Ch 3: A Boggart in the Dungeon

**Good Evening Readers. **Just a forewarning, a little bit of violence is present in this chapter.

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Six hours later, Ophelia was wide awake and staring at the unfamiliar stone walls. It was the first time she noticed the sound of water being disturbed and the windows that would have looked out to the sky only saw water. She was capable of seeing quite well within the darkness and with that, she could see the aquatic creatures of the Black Lake alive and moving in the pre-morning hours. Pulling herself up as she finally removed her bag and boots off, the girl knew she was not going to fall asleep so easily again. Emptying her pockets she flung her jacket to one side and proceeded to unravel her trunk with chaotic haste. What had taken her an hour to pack were minutes in unpacking and putting items in designated locations. With her dresser drawers filled with mainly common clothing, she had not noticed a package next to the door with her name scribbled upon it and a note taped to it.

_ Mom and Dad_

Opening up the parcel, she noticed it was the school uniform, six in total, bundled within. It was almost opposing colors from Salem but she did not mind wearing dark colors. Khaki was not her color before and still. Showering quickly within dim lights, the girl was well dressed and ready for the day as the first sounds of other charms and gadgets began to spring to life in hopes of waking the students for the first day. As her companion was already fidgety from being confided for too long, Ophelia exchanged her books within her messenger bag, slide into her unaccustomed Slytherin robes, wrapped her ankh back around her neck forming a thick choker, and slide out the door with bird in tow as the first dorm door opened up.

Making way to the Great Hall, it smelled deliciously of all delights. Sitting down under the banners of the snake, Ghost had taken a position to watch from above knowing quite well she would not be sending him off at the distance they were located at. With a sudden pop, the familiar goblet was present, with no elf this time, as well as hot tea and other delights she was not used to seeing. Black pudding, baked beans, fried bread… while deep down her stomach growled as she drank the iron liquid without a second thought, the girl would not turn her nose to anything… except the garlic, which she missed dearly.

Taking a little of everything, she glanced at her schedule that was now covered in wrinkles as she sipped away at her steaming tea now containing the right amount of sugar and creamer for her tastebuds.

_** Monday, Wednesday, & Friday Schedule**__  
09:00 - 09:50 HoM (Ravenclaw)_  
_10:00 - 10:50 DADA (Gryffindor)_  
_11:00 - 12:00 Lunch_  
_12:00 - 13:00 Break_  
_13:00 - 13:50 Herbology (Hufflepuff)_  
_14:00 - 14:50 Arithmancy (1__st__ Quarter)/ Ancient Runes (2__nd__ Quarter)  
21:00 – 00:00 Astronomy (Hufflepuff/Wednesday Only)_

_**Tuesday & Thursday Schedule  
**__09:00 - 09:50 Potions (Gryffindor)_  
_10:00 - 10:50 Potions (Gryffindor)_  
_11:00 - 12:00 Lunch_  
_12:00 - 13:00 Break_  
_13:00 - 13:50 Charms (Ravenclaw)_  
_14:00 - 14:50 Transfiguration (Gryffindor)  
15:00 – 15:50 Thaumaturgy*_

It was a bit different from Salem but readable. Taking notice to the star next to the last class on Tuesday and Thursday, she could only imagine it was a class all on her own. A class to learn more about her 'new' abilities. Feeling the now zombie elephants coming from their slumber to eat, she quickly creased the schedule and tore the edges off as like to remove the Thaumaturgy class from sight.

As more and more bodies filled the Great Hall, it was a much better atmosphere than what Ophelia experienced the night before. As a couple of individual had introduced themselves, Draco's posse arrived in similar fashion to sit next to Ophelia after making snarky remarks to _the_ Harry Potter. She could hear it now, kids in her class crapping bricks over the very thought of just seeing the Harry Potter but Ophelia did her best to be civil in any case to celebrities both muggle and wizarding.

"Sleep well feelee?" Pansy asked beginning to pick away at the food in front of her. "Thought I heard yah cryin and screaming…," the girl hissed trying to work her way into Ophelia's shit list.

Ophelia had forgotten about her nightmares and while she could not recall having any dreams, it was another story in the real world. Unmoved by the girl's attempt, Ophelia only smiled with a cocked expression, "Like the dead", she stated leaving the whole group silent for mere seconds.

"And call me _Feelee_ again, and I will drop you to the ground. I do not mind having 'points' knocked off for that."

And with that, the tension began between Pansy and Ophelia. As Blaise and Draco attempt to keep a stone face, Pansy looked like her head was going to pop off like a champagne cork. Ophelia could hear the girls mind screaming of all sorts of points deduction to borderline torture but as Ophelia smiled, she knew she was going to win at this battle. Not wanting to start a full out brawl on the first day of school, Ophelia took the advantage of departing. Finishing her goblet and then her tea, she smiled to the group with a pat to Pansy shoulder, bidding them a good morning.

Besides the tension of breakfast, the rest of the day was straight to the point. While the core classes were the same as Salem, Ophelia did find the class of Arithmancy challenging. Number in general would have sent her brain to a complete halt but there was no way out of the class just yet, she had to try. Classes that involved paring often placed Ophelia grouping with her own house or another to a set of three but in all cases and even stuck with Pansy, it was a nice change and challenge.

At last, Ophelia was at ease with her new surrounding and acquaintances. Taking all neutral sides when it came down to Draco's posse and other students, Ophelia was being her usual self even when stuck with or in direct staring distance with Pansy.

As the last class ended, students began dispersing to parts of the castle. Some to the library, others outside, but keeping to herself, Ophelia went to the dorms to change for exploring. Still not used to the gothic structure, she needed to walk the grounds, inspecting the architecture to map the school out properly in her mind.

Emerging from the Slytherin dorms in common clothing of her black ensemble with high black button up long sleeve, the girl's boots echoed her steps as she proceeded to get lost in the dungeons. With so many empty classrooms and dead ends, it was exciting at first. Meeting a few entities along the way was always entertaining but as she made it to a dark area of the dungeons, she was not prepared as she made her way into an empty classroom housing nothing but spare desks and chairs.

At first, she thought her eyes were unfocused but as she stared into the dark room with clear vision, the corner made of shadows began to warp. A sickening feeling began to build in her stomach and before she could react, the shapeless mass began to form itself within a snap. Unable to move, speak, or even breathe, the girl watched in horror as the mass shaped itself into her own nightmare. It was the vampire that attacked her months ago, dressed in all black form head to toe. With wand already at the ready, she knew how to get rid of a boggart but this was not the boggart she had during her freshman year. Wishing with all her might it was a spider, she was faced to face with the man from her nightmares and at a loss in what to do.

With her eyes wide open, she let out a silent scream before bolting from the classroom at full speed. Weaving in and out of the dungeon corridors, she could hear her inhuman steps being drowned by the creatures as the gap between them closed. As it reached out, it tore into her long sleeve, exposing her black bra on porcelain skin as the attack pulled her off balance and tumbling onto the stone ground. Still unable to even utter word, she could not think of anything funny as she pointed her wand and in an instance, the wand was kicked from her hand as the large man with pure white skin and black eyes stamped her clenched hand to the floor.

Ophelia screamed from her stomach, feeling the pink tinted tears stream out of her eyes as she choked another scream from within as she felt the bones in her fingers break one by one. Desperately she called out to her wand but she felt the creature hand slam against her face before it picked her up from the throat. Feeling her body slam against the stonewall then another, the world went sideways and whirled. She felt the creature rip the ankh from her throat before tossing it with a rattle and tore away the tattered remains of her shirt leaving her bare skin and contrasting black bra exposed to the elements.

It was her nightmare all over again. In capable of doing anything, the girl cried out of fear and pain, pleading for her life as she clutched to the wrist and hand that held her in place. She watched it look for a vein, the best one to quench its thirst, but as it descended out of vision, she screamed as the boggarts attention was pulled from her.

Falling into a lifeless heap as the death grip was released for whatever reason, Ophelia instantly curled into herself as she could barely hear the commotion around her. Silently crying with her vision coming in and out of focus, as something covered her pain riddled body, the last thing she saw was the ice gray eyes of Draco Malfoy before losing consciousness.


	4. Ch 4: Cat Out of the Bag

_...Ophelia?! Ophelia?! Its…  
...Please open your eyes for us...  
...There's so much blood…  
...Can she be saved?...  
...This is the … transfusion...  
...We can hope she is changing…  
...or a painless death that we can provide...  
...Miss Giovanni, can you hear me?...  
...Lia…_

Sliding in and out of consciousness, unable to tell what was real or just a dream, the girl slowly opened her eyes to see and smell the sterile ceiling of the schools hospital ward. With the full moon shining light upon her, she felt like death. Covered in sweat and pain aching with every thought, sitting up was almost agonizing. Feeling a tug on her arm from the foreign needle pumping crimson red liquid into her revived and untarnished porcelain skin, the girl did not notice she was not alone until the cool words left his lips.

"I see you are up," Draco stated within the only chair next to her cot.

Nearly jumping out of her skin, the girl didn't have a wand or an inkling of where her wand was, but she stood up with sheets in her fingers since the only thing around her chest besides her bra were the bandages wrapped around her frame.

"Morgana and Merlin Draco…" she hissed, "The hell are you doing here?"

The boy sat silent, still as ever, but did not answer at first. As the adrenaline from reacting to his presence pumped to her brain, it took only seconds for the pain to come back. As her body wavered as she muffled her agonizing moan with the sheets closer to her chest, she had not noticed Draco standing until he took her arm to assist her back down. In capable of pulling away, the girl obliged, a she crumpled back down onto the cot shaking and sweating again.

"Relax Lia… The Silencing Charm can do only so much and if I am discovered or felt to be a threat to your well-being, I am going to be in more trouble," the boy stated as he kept a hand on her arm as she continued to fidget and shake until laying still. Before she could even request why he was at her cot again, he began to explain the events and all that was going through her head as he sat back down.

"To catch you up on everything, you have only been here for five hours. Yesterday afternoon, you encountered a Boggart. Whatever reason, you ran and it chased, in which I noticed out of the corner of my eye while a group of us were 'monitoring' the dungeons. Taking Blaise with me, we went off towards the last sight I saw but only needed to follow your screams. At that point, the Boggart was so 'taken' by you; it failed to notice us until it was too late for it. By this time, Professor Snape and a few others had arrived to assist in getting rid of the creature while I covered you with my robe out of dignity since you, did not have a top anymore, and was going to be transported here. Since then, you have had four, err, transfusions… I think the matron called it, and enough salve to rid the bruises and broken bones but due to your condition… it does not work so well on mending and pain…"

As he stated her 'condition' her eyes snapped open to look at him. Entranced by his eyes as she tried to read through them, her vision was pulled to his outstretched hand that held out her steel ankh that was ripped from her neck. As one hand was held out for the pendent to be placed upon, the other instantly went to her throat that bore the scars she hid with the use of the cord and high collar clothing. Although the bandages covered all traces, she knew he saw the damages that riddled her body prior to the boggarts attack. Feeling vulnerable, the girl curled in a little to herself as the white sheets formed around her in hopes of making herself disappear.

"Tell me of your dream… or the boggart… seeing they are going to coincide Lia." The boy whispered as he pushed himself into the shadows as a figure glanced through the privacy screen to only see Ophelia on her side with eyes closed. As the figure walked off, the girl gripped the pendant within her childlike hands and spoke to the thin air.

"It was during the summer, July 21 to be exact. Just finished Quidditch practice at the school pitch since it is only a walk away from our homes. Living the farthest from the school, I was the last one to break away from the group. Nightfall arrived early; a storm had showed up, so the skies were much darker than before. I love rocky weather, so I walked slower to enjoy the rain. I had not realized I was being watched. Taking the same path since a child, I was only two blocks from home when I went down that familiar alley that was different this time. He blocked my path. I thought maybe it was a drunk from one of the bars and decided to duck out back to the streets to find another alleyway but there he was again and a little closer. I knew I was in trouble. I ran.. I ran as fast as I could but it is not enough when you go against a creature like him. You saw that… He knocked me off my feet with a single swipe and though I had my wand, I just could not react the way I was taught."

Shaking again from the fear, Ophelia had not noticed the stream of tears that fell onto the pillowcase leaving little pink dots everywhere. In an attempt to shield herself, she gripped for dear life to the pendent in her shaking hand as she curled a little more into herself but was stopped by the shadowed figure reaching out to hold her out stretched hand steady. Tired of fighting she did not move her hand away from his but did place her free hand around her scarred neck as she continued with a sniffle.

"I don't remember much of that evening but the pain… he had no intention of letting me live. Left in a mangle heap… broken, dying… I was lucky enough that my parents always kept track of me and my friends and were already searching for me since I was not home for dinner even after the rain stopped. My best friend found me first…"

Silent again, she heard his voice then her parent's screams within her mind.

"What I found out later was a vampire had been traveling between towns, attacking only those within the wizarding community since our blood gives them sort of high as well as vast information on an individual. The Magical Intelligence Agency had been having trouble tracking him down but like my attack, he was already nowhere in sight. Taken to Boston, they had to use muggle and wizarding medicine to keep me alive. Blood transfusions, aligning bones, mending, the works. I was in the hospital for three weeks recovering but I did not come to until the last week. Crash course in what I can and cannot do, the scars are forever and the nightmare might go away or be complete but not now. Since my abilities as a witch is still intact, I continued with coming here but under heavy watch and additional guidance, not just you, but I have an extra class specific to my 'condition'. I was asked to keep my 'condition' quiet but as you can probably see, it is hard to hide to from the observant, like you…"

Slipping her hand from his, she sat up, pulling the sheets with her as she rested her head on her knees before laying the pendant on the ruffled covers.

"You are a natural occulmens, regardless if you had yet been formally trained. Like Professor Snape… not a single word or thought from your mind even when I look into your eyes…" she complimented to the still figure looking at her. "Which is nice since Pansy is a gatlin gun full of insults." Which caused Draco to scoff with Ophelia.

Looking to his opened eyes she softly cleared her throat to rid the awkward silence before looking away to the pendent.

"So are you going to tell me why you are here… and if you are going to tell anyone that is oblivious that I'm a freak?" she questioned as she blotted the remnants of her tears away.

With her head turned away to blot the right side of her face, the girl felt the edge of her bed shift. Instantly looking, he had his back turned to her but he spoke in a whisper only she could hear.

"No, no one will know unless you tell them. Blaise knows since he saw your scars and the boggart but we already have a rumor on how you have ended up here. You were dared to drink a potion and things went wrong if questioned."

As another brief moment of silence came between them, he looked over his shoulder, she could feel his gaze looking to the peeking scars on her neck that traveled across her collarbone.

"As for why I am still here… there are a few reasons," he stated before looking out towards the window at the planets that shined brightly.

"I was entrusted by Professor Snape to be a mentor during your stay. I found it ridiculous to have to 'baby' you and figured I could give you the rundown of the basics and let you go on your way. I was unaware, like the rest of us, of your history and condition. I cared little of it but seeing that Boggart and the speed in which you ran, I…" he stated with a sudden stop to his words.

"I feel like I have to be there for you. Not in a coddling way, but maybe for the fact we are very much alike. I thought Pansy was being a git during breakfast but after being here tonight in making sure you were all right, I can see she is not lying. You hold a lot inside, you hide a lot within… just like me. Not a freak, but different." He admitted as she looked to his turned face on the verge of questioning before he continued.

"So, I am here to watch over you… if you allow me…"

As he looked to her with a turn to his body, the girl did not say anything at first as she stared at the pendent again. Without looking, she pulled the taped needle on her skin with a single tug sending a few drops of blood on the sheets and her arm. Knowing well he was watching her actions, she wrapped her lips over the wound that she lapped over before setting her now unmarked arm back to her side as she finally looked at him.

Slowly, she curled her legs under her as she leaned closer towards him. She was close, enough to feel the warmth of his breath and skin, enough to hear the blood coursing within that pulsed faster. Without looking, the hand that was free of sheets reached out to touch his cheek and softly, she planted a kiss on the opposite side before leaning back still holding his face. Staring at his open eyes, she smiled softly and with a soft nod, "You have my permission."

Inside both of them, something flared. She wanted to kiss him again but she sat still, swallowing deeply before finally breaking the touch. Picking up the pendant, she held it close to her chest and laid back down as Draco went back to the chair in the shadows. As the silence between them began to fill the room, she whispered as her eyes began to fall again, "How did you know about my nickname Lia?"

As silence began to build, in a whispered reply she heard before falling back to sleep, "I have my ways…"

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**Evening Readers. **Almost didn't get this chapter out for MS Document decided to be a butt and not say it auto-saved the document when I was tying it up and my laptop decided to shut down unexpected. Hopefully I can get the next chapter out tonight but it is probably in my best interest to get to my uni assignments due tomorrow first. Until then, tell me what you think, the good and the bad. Ta-Ta for now.


	5. Ch 5: When Two Beasts Face Off

With the sunrays stretching across her pale skin, slowly sending burning chills at every inch touched by the sun, Ophelia questioned her sanity as she stared at the empty chair next to her cot. Had Draco really sat there and watched her the whole time? As the matron arrived to do one more checkup before sending Ophelia on her way, as she changed into the spare uniform placed at the end of her cot, a small fluttering green folded crane sat at the side table on top of her ankh pendant.

With the wildfire of lies sparked by Draco and Blaise and enforced by Pansy's snarky remarks, everything seemed to move right along, except when it came to the current Defense against the Dark Arts professor Umbridge. Like most students thinking the woman was off her rockers teaching the subject strictly from an outdated book than teaching a lick of magic, the feeling towards the woman went sour after Ophelia had her first session in Thaumaturgy with a wonderful Countess Bonnie Izarra.

As Draco was the only one that knew of the extra class Ophelia had to take in learning more about her own abilities as a vampire, as she opened the door within the dungeon to see him a few corridors away, her vision was soon blocked by the pink clad squat of a woman.

"Miss Giovanni, if I may have a word with you for a moment." Umbridge snipped sending a force smile to the girl's lips. While the woman whipped on her heels to lead the way back towards her office on the main level of the school, Ophelia gave Draco a look of uncomfortably as she passed him. Though the woman trotted along trying to make small talk, it was apparent that this was not going to be a real pleasant conversation.

Entering the woman's office that stunk of a sickly sweet scent and irritating sounds of mewing kittens across her walls, she wondered why exactly she was in the room while Harry Potter was already there serving another dosage of detention from the first class. Taking the only available seat next to the solid wood desk, Ophelia watched at the corner of her eye Harry trying his best to not look discomfort at the position he was in while Umbridge pepped away to the point of the reason the meeting was happening.

"I heard about your little scare there Miss Giovanni; Quite a fright that might have been. Would have thought Salem taught you about them." The woman continued to chatter on to the point Ophelia wanted to say 'move to the point already' as she watched the woman stir the heaps of sugar she dropped into her tea cup while glancing over to Harry that made a sound of discomfort before falling silent again.

While the smell of an overpowering sweetness violated her nose, another scent hit her senses that made Ophelia's mouth winter.

"Now, I have obtained your records from the Hospital in Boston and the reports on your accident, it is quite understandable of the boggart now from your once fear of spiders to the vampire that attacked you. It must have been hard to find out what happened and what you have become…"

Though Ophelia was looking off into the etchings in the wood, as the woman last word was a stab at Ophelia, the young girl looked up with full attention as the smell of blood soon wrapped around her senses causing her body to tense. She stared at the woman's thin lips pressed in a smile, and though her mind was silent, looking into her eyes screamed monster.

"Since your condition makes you a 'danger', it is best to remind you that you are always watched and first foul, you will not only be pulled from Hogwarts, but sent to the Ministry for containment to evaluation of extermination"

As the smell of fresh blood filled her lungs, the gray eyes turned a deep blood red to hear the word extermination.

"Excuse me?" Ophelia whispered through her teeth that she struggled in keeping her canines from elongating.

That smile, Ophelia wanted to lash her nails across that woman face but sat still gripping her wrists until she felt her own blood pooling under her nails.

"Yes, you are a dangerous creature now Miss Giovanni; Not a witch anymore, but a creature. You may be considered non-threatening but out of line, cannot have you in the school among innocent and the naughty."

Hearing the quill within Harry's hand stop scraping, Ophelia looked over to see a trail of blood etching the words of 'I must not tell lies.' Swallowing hard as she closed her eyes, she knew exactly what the foul woman was trying to achieve. Standing abruptly to the point she had shifted the woman desk a few inches towards her, Ophelia did her best to keep her temper under control.

"Thank you mam for your notification; I will keep that in mind. If there is nothing else, may I go?"

Not even waiting for the woman to finish her nod in letting her go, Ophelia whipped out of the office not even looking to the still boy back at etching into the paper. Unaware of her movements she had nearly whipped by Draco until he stopped her in her tracks by grabbing her arm. Before he could even ask why Umbridge pulled her, he immediately stopped touching the girl. Seeing her refection from a reflective surface in the classroom they stood in, the sight sent tears down her face.

With eyes completely filled with blood, Ophelia failed to realize her canines were extended into sharp points. Clasping a hand over her opened mouth, she stared at the boy in front of her in a mixture of horror and desire. She could see the blood coursing in his veins, the very thing that made him just a wizard, just human. Staring at his neck, the thought of how he tasted and instantly was horrified. Sick to her stomach, Ophelia bit into her hand to feel the pain and went into a sprint past the still boy.

_Dangerous. Freak. Not a witch. Threatening. Creature._

Avoiding all possible paths that would place her in direct lines of a living body, Ophelia made it back to the dungeons, to an empty classroom. Hurling her messenger with such force, the fabric split in two tossing papers, quills, and exploding inkwells across the crater left in the wall. With the wooden door slammed shut with a shutter to its hinges, she screamed. Collapsing to her knees, she slammed her bleeding fists into the ground to the point she could feel the bones breaking again. Curling into a small ball as she cradled her mangled hands, she heard her demons beginning to dig into her mind again.

_Not even a proper week and failing at everything. Freak. Cannot even control your emotions. How can you control the monster inside if you cannot control your emotions? Should have died. Would have been better…_

She had not noticed she was watched again until she was beating the cobble floors and her hands were pulled back to keep her from damaging herself even more. She could barely hear the soft words and sound of comfort through her sobs but she could smell and feel it was Draco. While an elder vampire had the ability to break the hands of a mortal, being only a few months old still had Ophelia clinging to her mortality. Incapable of pushing him away as he tried to comfort she sobbed as he cradled her from behind while holding her arms down, keeping a firm distance from her lips.

"I didn't want this..." she cried through her clenched teeth "I didn't fucking want this… why could I not just die like the rest of them…"

As Draco whispered words in attempt to comfort her, little orders were sent out around her.

"Gather her belongings and get it into her room and get the kit from my trunk, first drawer, set it in the common room. You two, clear the whole area from here to the dorm. **No one** at all."

Emotionally tired, the girl did not fight any more against the arms holding her still. Closing her eyes, she felt the beast inside settle but the demons continued to pick at her as she slumped. Feeling his grip upon her loosen, she did not push or flee as he soon cradled her within his arms to carry her from the bloodied dips she left in the floor to the slytherin common room.

She had not realized how out of it she was until she was placed upon one of the chaise lounges that faced the fireplace as Draco stepped away to speak with someone to entertain someone else she did not catch in names. Entranced by the fireplace she had only moved her eyes as she felt her hands being touched and examined. Pulling her sight from the dancing fire, she watched Draco open a small box that held various herbs, bottles, and mixtures that he soon worked furiously at in creating something.

With glazed eyes as she felt her lips crack, "What are you doing?"

"Making a salve for your hands… going back to the hospital not even a full day since your last visit won't sit well…" Draco stated not looking at her.

With nothing more to say, she pulled her sight from his turned back to the fire, letting her mind wonder on how long it would take for her body to be consumed by it.

"Stop it."

Pulling her eye from the fire, she looked to the ice eyes looking at her as he stared into her.

"Stop what?"

"Nothing."

Not pulling her hands from his as Draco began to apply the made ointment onto her hands, Ophelia was willing to go back looking to the fire until he asked what happened earlier. While she did not want to talk about it entirely, she gave all the necessary detail except what she was thinking when she saw his neck. As he massaged and whipped the blood away from her fingers, she felt the tension within him.

With nothing said between them, it had only taken five minutes to remove the damage that she caused to herself. As Draco silently went back to putting the items he used away, the girl sat up next to him still not capable of really looking at him as she clenched her hands to feel the muscles and bones move back into place.

"Thank you… and, I'm sorry," she stated.

"For what?"

"For what you saw, all of it. You really did not need to do… what you did."

As he closed the kit, she glanced to the seal that was the same on his ring except the word apothecary was etched in the label banner. Before she could say anything else he stood still not looking at her.

"I know it's hard… but things will get better."

Picking up the kit, he had a smirk on his lips as she rose as well.

"Well, thank you still. I'm going to lay down… just very tired now…"

As the two nodded to each other, she feared herself still as she gripped her hands thinking. Would she have really attacked the very one that was trying to help her? Making it down the long hallway the girl once gain collapsed on the disheveled bed and instantly went to sleep.

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**Good Morning Readers. **This chapter is a bit sloppy and I apologize for that. Actually I don't know if I fully like how this chapter is in general but hopefully I can correct any problems in the near future after I have had some sleep. As always, I look forward to the reviews of hate and love. Ta-Ta for now.


	6. Ch 6: Two Step

Though the first two days at Hogwarts were difficult endeavors within Ophelia's life, the weeks to follow were uneventful. Ophelia continued to make friends with everyone, regardless of housing rivalry, and a mutual agreement in the silent relationship that sat between Draco and herself. Thing were normal, at least when it came to the events around her life.

As Umbridge continued to play devil's advocate, it had not taken long for the vile woman to become acting headmistress. Her 'educational decrees' continued to be plastered to the Great Hall causing uproar among many and amusement to some. It was a depressing site but while Ophelia did her best to inform her parents on her endeavors at the school, many seemed to arrive in altered condition. Regardless, getting parcels from her parents and friends back home made her cold heart comforted by the well thoughts.

Two weeks before All Hallows Eve, the infamous 'ahem' and clear of throat pulled the eyes of the students from their dinner to the devil in pinks fake smiling stature behind the podium far too tall for the woman.

"Good Afternoon children. I am so happy to see all of you and I have some announcements." Many, if not all students went silent for any announcement day or night meant something was about to change again.

"While we are accustomed to the Hallowe'en feast at the end of this month, there will be some changes." Still silence as many of the young children that clung to the thoughts of the festive were soon shattering.

"This year, we will be having a masquerade ball."

Many were in open mouth shock unsure if this was good or bad news.

"While majority of you were taught proper dancing, it was notified by some sources it had become an animal house and we are not like that. Therefore, your Head of House will teach you again. Also, the wonderful hazel hat quartet will be headlining."

The devil in pink continued to pip on still leaving the students opened mouth. While no one had ever heard of the wizarding 'band' Ophelia tilted her head with a whisper seeing those around her were at a loss of this mysterious band, "_string quartet… classical music_."

"This is a proper ballroom event so everyone is to attend in formal attire with masks for this magical, mandatory event. Will be looking forward to it. That is all."

There was still a mixture of emotions towards this event but no one could do squat about it, the devils words were the last and by the next evening, Quidditch practices were canceled as the Head of each house gathered their students for 'practice'.

Within the dungeons of the castle, the females and males of Slytherin sat facing each other while Snape prepared with dull words on what was to be endured.

"Since, Professor Umbridge has implemented this 'masquerade ball' everyone is to be taught to dance. Properly. To her standards. With that, I need those already educated to assist in helping those with two left feet. Miss Giovanni! Tell me of your experience in this art."

Unprepared on the words directed to her, the girl stood wide eyed. While the potions master was an interesting teacher, she still felt unease by him as like the many students around her. Though she did not like the idea of being in the spot light she could not slide out of this.

"I've actually competed in competitions. Ballroom and ballet to be exact. Ten years to be exact."

Though the man did not turn to her still figure, eyes were all on her. Some in disbelief, others mocking.

"Very well. Malfoy. Partner with Giovanni. Waltz at the beginning of the song." The man directed beginning to fiddle with a record player in the corner of the hall.

As Draco arrived in front of Ophelia uneasy, she did not stop herself in questioning, "What type sir? Viennese, standard, cross-step?"

While the still girl fell silent to the man stiffening, he turned to them as the needle began to fall on the rotating record. "Whatever seems right?"

As the two properly acknowledge each other with a bow and curtsy, as Draco placed his hand on her waist as the other joined her fingers, she rested her free hand upon his shoulder as the two moved instantly without hesitation. While Ophelia was used to taking lead, she did not push as Draco went naturally in motion. Whirling around the empty space, the two did not look to each other except when a twirl was needed to break the whirlwind effect. As the five-minute song came to an end as the two once again properly acknowledge each other, some clapped as others were left feeling sick to their stomach and thinking how they were going to keep from vomiting.

With the stale clap followed by the rest of the house students, the simple instruction was let out that Ophelia, Draco, and several other students already knowledgeable in dance were to assist while Snape did his best to not have to touch the children. Every evening, subjected to 'practicing the way of proper dancing' Ophelia did her best to help every one of all houses. Dancing was natural in her blood but to others, it was painfully not their forte.

Just like the struggling two left feet, the struggle of facing the opposite sex soon fell into place as everyone was trying to find a 'date'. It was apparent that most students were going to attend the ball with their previous dates or finding replacements. For Ophelia, this was not the case. With an even numbers between male and female ratio when it came to the attendants of Hogwarts, Ophelia was the odd number. While she was content in not going with anyone in particular, it was unexpected that some people were asking her to be their date. It felt like Valentine's Day; Owls dropping notes and subtle winks of a hope for a yes. It was a blessing that her ability to blush was not screamingly apparent, but with all she politely denied but promised to dance if approached.

As the days crept closer to the ball, packages stuffed with dress robes and gowns filled the morning breakfast tables. The day a black owl arrived hauling a large package for Ophelia, she did not ripe it open like the girls around her but sent it with a pop to her room.

"Too embarrassed to show the cheap dress you had to borrow?" A simple attempt from Pansy trying to tick off Ophelia but like times before, the fair-skinned girl only had to ignore Pansy's presence to hear the scowl and soon distant figure stomping away. While picking at her food while she read a textbook on dark creatures, or what she disguised her text book on her condition, she felt Draco looking at her across the table. That odd vibrating sense that would have sent a chill or blood to her cheeks but as she looked to him, she watched him slide a folded note again in a crane to her before walking off.

Picking the crane within her fingers, she unfolded this one, seeing ink had bled through it.

_"It is expected that I attend this event with Pansy.  
However, I am not a predictable individual.  
Will you accompany the evening of the 31 as my partner?"_

With an eye raised, she pondered at the note. She had been denying everyone at an instant notice but why was she unable to really deny him?

Writing her response in a simple blood red ink, Ophelia folded the creased paper into a bat. During their first break she could get to the slytherin dorms without a single soul inside, finding Draco's dorm was not hard with the infamous Malfoy Crest burned into his trunk. Leaving the bat on the edge of his dresser like the crane he left on the hospital nightstand, she did not need to know how he felt when he found it.

For the rest of the day and until that evening, he could not stop grinning like an idiot when he saw her and the burning hatred from Pansy. Life at that moment was good but like most things, it never lasts.

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**Good Evening Readers. **You know the drill. Send me your thoughts, loves, and hates.


	7. Ch 7: A Deadly Dance

The day had come for the whole castle to gussy up and prepare for mandatory fun. While there was a light breakfast and lunch, when the evening hour dwindled to the time the Hallowe'en feast would have been in full swing, everyone was suffering the effects of being irritated with the lack of food while getting ready. Girls were pushing and yelling at each other to the point it sounded like banshees trying to sing at a concert hall with all the tension. Knowing well it was best to shower early and hold herself up in her own room, the girl did her very best to not let anyone see what she was going to be in until the last minute.

Checking herself over for the hundredth time, she had heard a dominate knock on her dorm room door before it was attempt to try and open it up with no luck.

"_You know_… a lot of the girls I passed heading the Great Hall are talking smack", the cool collected voice of Draco Malfoy curled into her ears. A smirk rose for a second before she blurted back, "Let them…"

With no more need of looking over her attire, the girl opened the door to a well-dressed handsome lad in white from top hat to toe physically moved by her appearance. Instead of the school robes or long sleeve and pants to cover the damages done to her porcelain white skin, the girl stood tall in heels with an asymmetrical one-shoulder black gown and cascading curls framing her face. With a simple application of makeup to hide the scars that visibly riddled her body, a thick choker hid the marks on her neck while playfully adoring her face with a black laser cut mask that mimicked a bat that fluttered once in a while on her face with a small bat nose stud and matching tongue ring.

"So? What do you think?"

It took a good couple of seconds for the boy to formulate the simple word of just "_Wow_", as he offered her his hand. Softly grasping her offered hand, he planted a kiss upon her fingers before setting her hand upon his arm to the long trek to the Great Hall. They talked about small things and as they made it to the hallway in front of the Great Hall, the towering figure of the top stopped them.

"Ah, the two I have been looking for," Professor Snape curled with a forceful smile that immediately vanished, "Get to the Great Hall, immediately. If I have to hear Umbridge chirp again for houses best dancers, I am going …to…vomit…"

Within an instance, the man disappeared leaving the two staring at each other. "_Shit_", was all Ophelia could summon as the two continued to the Great Hall.

With large grand pumpkins and harvest decorated circular tables with all sorts of delights, the two felt eyes upon them. As some whispered and others looked like fire was going to explode from their eyes, the attention from the womans infamous 'ahem' pulled eyes away from them in somewhat relief.

"Oh wonderful, now if the appointed dancers from each house please come to the center. We are going to start off the event with a contest! Teachers will be judging so to your starting position. Music will start in fifteen seconds."

A few idle claps but not a roaring cheer as the woman clapped idiotically. With Fred and Angelina for Gryffindor, Hanna and Ernie for Hufflpuff, Terry and Padma for Ravenclaw and Ophelia and Draco for Slytherin, the four couple took spots on opposite corners waiting for the music. With everyone's eyes diverted to the four couples then just one individual or set, the music began sending the four couples into rotating spins. It was an interesting event for each couple danced differently but moved to the tune provided from them. While there were a few miss steps with worried or confused looks, Ophelia and Draco moved in ghostly silence even with their heels barely heard from the speed they moved in and always smiling. They did not care about the judges or whatever the prizes were but the two just did what they could do to have fun.

With the music over the couples bowed and curtsey to each other with another kiss to her hand from Draco, the couples joined spots left open as the devil in pink asked all to enjoy the food and the judgment would be revealed after. With a ghostly choir singing for entertainment, the food was pleasant none the lease. As the food became deserts and sweets, another cup of crimson liquid showed up with a cluster of blood pops mixed with strawberry and cherry pops to mask the appearance as the devil pepped for students to enjoy the music and dance. As Draco was pulled away by Pansy almost sticking her tongue out to Ophelia, the young girl was also pulled by the dates she did not accept to be their date but promise a dance.

From Neville to Blaise, the girl had royal fun to the point her mortal mind was breathing normally with a little bit of sweat coming from her chilled skin. As she parted ways from a young Hufflepuff that apologized continuously from stepping on her toes more than she could remember, she stood off to the side catching eyes with Draco still painfully dragged around by Pansy. With a man in a mask offering Ophelia the last goblet on his tray, the girl held onto it as Draco finally pried the grip of Pansy to stand next to Ophelia as the devil in pink was preparing to announce the judgments.

"I _hope_ we are all having fun now. If I could get the four couples to join me on the stage here. I can announce the winners in order and the associated prizes."

Arm in arm, Draco led Ophelia to the stage with the other couples as the woman began with irritating grace as the watching students clapped to the announcements.

"In fourth place, with a prize of ten points, Hufflepuff. In third place, with a prize of fifteen points, Gryffindor. In second place, with a prize of twenty five points… Ravenclaw. Leaving Slytherin with fifty points and a prize for the couple."

In fashionable style, the males shook hands as the girls kissed each other's cheeks in congratulated terms, leaving Draco to kiss Ophelia on the cheek as he held up a goblet in a toast to hers as the two were adorned with a matching black and silver tiara and crown that flickered upon their head. As the cup reached her lips that tasted delightfully of blood, the girl stopped immediately as she pulled the cup from her lip and looked down in horror as the liquid in her lips slipped past her throat.

Within a second, the goblet fell from her fingers as she let go of Draco's arm and clutched her burning throat and mouth that began to swell with blood. Unable to move as the blood began to squirt through her fingers, shocked screams rippled around her. Looking to the spilled cup as her vision blurred trying hard to look at her blistering skin hands covered in blood, a pink tinted object sat in the goblet that she drank from. A single clove of garlic.

Feeling her skin begin to blister and burn blood began to pore from her opened mouth as she attempted to scream, blood streamed from her crying eyes, pores, and ears. Falling into shock, she began to lose conscious as Draco caught the crumpling body. Desperately grabbing his arms as blood stained his white robes she cried in fear, she cried in pain. Touching his shaved cheek leaving a trail of blood from her fingertips, she could not hear anything anymore as she sent a thought to him through her touch as she watched his eyes well with tears.

"_It doesn't hurt anymore love._"

With her pooling blood tainting everyone around her trying to do anything to save her, Ophelia loss sight and conscious as she went into a seizure.

There was no pain.

No fear.

Only peace.

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**Good Evening Readers. **Hope everyone has had a Happy Halloween. If interested in what Ophelia is wearing, send me a pm on it and I can direct you to the polyvore set.


	8. Ch 8: A Fallen Angel

Some individuals talk about their brush of death as traveling through a tunnel to a source of light or a beam of light warming the skin, but for Ophelia, her breath with death was like being subjected to ancient therapy of being dunked into freezing cold water and scalding hot water. With every shock sent through her body, she caught a little breath of light, blurred faces, inaudible voices, then nothing before going through the same processes again. It could have been seconds to years but Ophelia could not know and did not care. It felt like an odd dream until she finally again regained conscious.

Every inch on her body ached as her vision refused to focus. Even the idea of thinking was painful to the point she moaned in pain and soon anxiety.

Where am I? What has happened? Someone… help me.

Continuing to fall in and out of conscious, she heard voices soon filtering around her. From whispers to clear audible voices, she heard a familiar voice out of the lot.

"Ophelia, this is Bonnie. The dark knight council has arrived. Do not worry love. We are going to get you all better in no time. I know everything hurts but you are very lucky. You did not swallow the clove but it had tainted the cup quite well. Draco was there the whole time and quite a talented boy. He would do well with us. You are quite lucky to have him around love. Now, things are going to get a little weird. I am going to do my best to keep you unconscious, but the council will be working with the ministry in obtaining how this happened by extracting your memory. I cannot guarantee if you will stay unconscious but when you are conscious, you will feel like you are reliving the events, good and bad. Nevertheless, they will be recording and trying to find out how this happened to you. Just because we are monsters, does not mean we all are. Be strong little one, know your fallen angel is watching and waiting."

Before she could fathom a reply the world went dark and like her mentor warned, she was in and out of her nightmare and fantasy. The look on Draco's face when she opened the door to second she was given the cup and finally the surging pain. She wanted to disappear, forget everything but moments were pulled back and replayed then nothing.

It had been three days since the event and waking up to a dim lit room, a sudden rush of fear surged through her body as she noticed her arms and legs were bounded to the gurney she laid in. Panicking she pulled and tugged with all of her might to only start crying and screaming. As the door opened to her panicked cries, a rage rolled over her.

"What the hell is this?!" she growled as Bonnie entered the room with two more individuals as fair as she was. While the fear subsided seeing Bonnie's face was not helping the situation. In the distance, she could hear someone trying to get to the room in fury as the door closing silenced all sounds.

"_Bonnie_…" Ophelia whispered in fear still tugging the binds on her arms. Watching the woman, she looked up to for guidance and answers held a long face as she reached into her pocket to a folded piece of paper. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. The seconds that passed seemed like days but the woman finally spoke as the two men took post at the door.

"The school officials and Ministry had attempted to contact your parents when everything happened… we did not receive any informal or formal communication so officials traveled to retrieve your parents."

Before she could chirp in question on her parents and where they were, the woman did not look up as she broke the seal and placed the parchment and news clipping side by side on Ophelia's lap to be read.

"THE SERIAL KILLER ROGUE STRIKES THE FAMILY OF LONE SURIVING VICTIM"

She did not need to read the rest of the article or the note from the Magical Intelligence Agency… she knew her parents were dead. Silently she shook as her limbs strained to curl into her body. In the hallway she heard the door being rapped upon, the cool collect voice filled with despair.

"You need to let me in, please. Father…"

Inside her body, the monster continue to grow and from her belly, she screamed. As the restraints lose its grip around her limbs, the girl was held down by the two men leaving the door to be left unguarded and now open. Held by an older version of him, Draco looked upon the monster named Ophelia. Lashing out she scratched and screamed and when successfully bounded back to the bed she continued to cry, calling out to her late parents. She was so full of rage, she was hungry. Eyes darting to everything that moved, it only fell upon Draco and his father, the two closest blood-beating creatures still glued to the doorway. She had not heard Bonnie scream at them to leave but within seconds, as a hand was placed over her eyes, a simple incantation was uttered and darkness fell upon Ophelia.

Awakening only an hour later, Ophelia was an empty shell again. Staring off into the darkness, she just did not want to live. She should not have lived. If she had just died, her parents would have still been alive. Still bounded to the bed, she sat up to the best of her ability to see she was not alone. In one corner sat Bonnie and the father of Draco Malfoy, quietly discussing something she just could not clearly hear. While she examined the man, noting how Draco would continue looking distinguished as he aged like his father, she had barely noticed the sheets she gripped onto for dear life was replaced with a warm touch.

Ophelia could not bring herself to look at Draco. For what he experienced and saw, she felt horrible. Chewing on the inside of her lip she laid back down but dared not to look at him though his gaze looked to her.

"_I'm sorry Ophelia._" He said softly. Lost and miserable she lightly squeezed his hand before forcing herself to fall back asleep out of despair before softly replying to him.

"_So am I…_"

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**Good Evening Fellow Readers and Writers**. After my week vacation, I have returned with a cold. So excuse my writing if it seems to hiccup or become confusing. In all actuality, this chapter may be re-written but it is going to be posted as is for the moment. I am such a masochist to my characters... probably not a good idea to write two stories with both characters in despair. Anyways, until the next chapter.


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